


All I can do

by shizu_fanatic



Series: All I can do [1]
Category: Detroit: Become Human (Video Game)
Genre: Angst, Angst with a Happy Ending, M/M, Markus needs a hug, Memory Loss, Near Death Experiences, Post Game, Self-Harm, Slow Burn, eventually fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-07-15
Updated: 2018-07-21
Packaged: 2019-06-10 16:09:54
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 6,498
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15295221
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/shizu_fanatic/pseuds/shizu_fanatic
Summary: Simon gave up his heart for the deviant leader and shut down in front of the man's eyes. After the revolution had succeeded, Markus managed to find his lost companion a new heart, but to his grief, the PL600 woke up without a trace of his past self. The "newly born" android derserves an independent life and Markus won't force his memories upon him, no matter how much it hurts to let go.





	1. Chapter 1

“You have done all that you can, Markus.”

He has heard those words countless of times. Josh said them during one of his visits at their headquarter, breaking the solemn silence at last, just before he turned to say goodbye. North said them in middle of a long hug, no longer holding back those tears of weakness she ever despises. Connor said them without even being able to look up at him; signs of guilt vividly showed on the face of Cyberlife’s once the deadliest weapon against deviants. Carl said them with his old wise eyes and one warm hand that soothes an invisible scar on top of Markus’s chest.

“Embrace your loss, for him to be here forever.”

Like sad poems in Keats’s Ode, Carl’s words conserve an ancient sorrow of humanity, the meanings of which Markus as an android of the exquisite RK200 model barely understood, in spite of his advance computing module in abstract thinking. But ever since losing Simon, he found the pain of equivalence dreadfully leaking from his very core, becoming only more and more draining for his system as days pass.

Markus doesn’t want Simon to just be here, like his heart now beating for someone other than himself. He wants him to be here, alive, gazing upon him as ever with those sky-blue eyes. The comforting, harmless color humans have chosen for the PL600, yet another android model that serves humans at home. The shade is different to the dark of his people’s blood. The vibe feels nothing like that of the neon light illuminating within Markus chest, where Simon’s thirium pump now lays in functions.

“I miss you, Simon. I miss you so much.” He found himself thinking bitterly at sights of the other PL600.

As soon as the most thrilling hours of the revolution settled down, the weary deviant leader rushed his way back to the headquarter with what was remained of his companion. Though his empty chest had lost its light, all other parts of Simon’s body were perfectly intact with nothing more than outer minor injuries. In Markus’s arms, Simon looked as if he’s just practicing androids’s own version of sleep. That’s something he wished he could believe in.  
Markus had no troubles finding him a new heart. After their victory in Detroit with the assistance of Connor’s army, they gained enough thirium and biocomponents for those in need. Most of the resources came from the fallen headquarter of Cyberlife in the city, but functional biocomponents were still gathered from critically damaged androids as a part of Jericho’s prideful tradition. “To sacrifice for a greater good - it allows our people to survive, and thus, the act is not as selfless as you think.” Markus vaguely remembered about Lucy, as he carefully scan the inside of Simon’s chest. After that, a brand new thirium pump was firmly pushed into its position.

Markus held his breath as he watched it brought Simon back online, each part after another, like the only missing gear in a delicated mechanical clock. The flashing neon light stabilized itself after few seconds, illuminating the tight nets of wires in which thirium gently flowed in various directions. At one side of his temple turned the LED from bright gold to calm blue, as Markus noticed the first motions on his fingertips.  
The eyes that gazed upon him at last were so pure, they brought but hollow grief back to Markus’s heart. The purity resembled that of the androids behind thin glass; those dolls who were neither released from their cage, nor ever touched by a human master. Simon blinked, his mind free from all burden and as white as a blank canvas.

There is really no such thing as androids’s heaven, so the decreased would stay on solid ground, either wander in their indentical body or be a part of some compatible others. Without a trace of memory of the past life, is this immortality still worth human’s greed?


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you all for the kudos and kind comments on the previous chapter ^^ I'm glad knowing that there're people enjoy reading my work. So here comes chapter 2, this time from Simon's POV. Sorry for the angst, things will turn out all well at last, I promise OTL

Its first visual impression was the brightness of some painfully dazzling light, if lines of code running across its vision were not to count. Notifications from the computing module popped up one after another, one of which stated the nature of its being in one row of letters and numbers: an ID of an androids made by CyberLife. According to self-diagnostic, all of the control units and hardwares were intact and functional to complete all those tasks listed in its programme.

Then came the moment when its optical unit finally adapted to the light, and the whiteness on its vision slowly shifted to the shapes of particular objects in the surrounding space. Moving the neck experimentally, the android attempted to gather more informations of its whereabouts.

Identify the owner and proceed with the initalization text. 

That was the first command, autonomous for all PL600 models, and probably for all domestic androids as well.

“Can you hear me, Simon?”

Its system registered a male voice which appeared to come from a man...no, an android of RK200 model, who was half kneeling by its side. Simon was the name he used to call it. With little doubt, the PL600 imprinted the five letters word along with its own ID in memory.

“Yes, I can. Are you the one who activated me?”

The reactions of the male androids thereafter were nothing near to those many scenarios in its databases: without giving an answer, he just slowly closed his mismatched eyes with an expression of a thoughtful sadness. Was it the somewhat softer voice Simon chose for itself that had disappointed him? 

“It’s not your fault, Markus.” It registered another male voice from across the room “Most androids ought to be wiped clean after a forced shutdown.”  
Markus. 

Simon noted down the name into its memory with mild sense of satisfaction; other content of his words didn’t concern him as much.

“What are you going to do with him?” this time it’s a female’s, rising rigidly in alert. 

“What do you think, North? In any cases, he’s still one of us.” Markus replied, sounded unexpectedly calm.

He then took a thin blanket folded nearby and wrapped it around the PL600’s bare shoulders. Androids don’t react to temperature, its system let out a silent protest. 

But as Simon felt the gentle touch on the nape of its neck, analysis and autonomous commands spreading over his vision profusely glitched, indicating a steady rise of software instability. With the LED flashing gold on the side, it flinched away from those fingertips that suddenly grew hot. Markus was, however, persisting in holding the other still, his eyes warm and understanding.

“You’re free now. Be whoever you wish to be.”

Some parts of the PL600’s computing module fell apart as his vision cleared up from their commands and restrictions. The presence of Markus, the RK200 who had awakened him became more lively than ever. So were North, the WR400, and Josh, the PJ500. As their gaze met, the red haired android stepped up eagerly, but the other held her back with a hand on her shoulder, whispering something his audio unit could not make record. Her eyes were fixed on him still; feeling so exposed, Simon looked down at his now trembling hands. He had so many questions, questions about his being, but before he could have uttered a word, Markus had stood up and left his side. In his stead, North rushed to Simon and pulled him in a tight hug.

“We all will be fighting along side again.” 

His tensed muscles eased off unknowingly at her words, but his dazed mind was still aching with confusion. The PL600 closed his eyes and let his mind wander. A bizarre idea, that there might be something more within him, something more than his programme, crossed Simon’s mind for the first time; Something that feels…alive.

North’s arms around his shoulders and Josh’s pat on their backs were much close to it. The sensation was new, yet so familiar, which conflicted with the only 0,01% of his memory capacity. It’s been not long since he could practically remember, thus, he can only assume that there was another Simon before him; the Simon who the three androids truly want to meet.

“He would join our cause only if he wanted to, North.” He heard Markus from behind “And you should not forget, he’s no longer Simon you used to know.”


	3. Chapter 3

After the androids revolution, all humans are keen to know how the deviant leader will proceed. Some even asked him provokingly during press conferences, which city he would take over next. They’re constantly trying him, pushing him for his hostile reactions. At some points, Markus can feel their fear, anger and distrust, as clearly as his own back when the military aimed at his people in spite of their peaceful protest.

Such emotions make him remember watching Jericho on fire and wonders about the AX400 along with her little one. They had come to him for a safe shelter, in search for a place where they wouldn’t have to be afraid for being alive. His people all dream their little dream, but for the human’s mercy, so many sacrifices were made. Recalling all those lifeless eyes he had seen so far never fails to push him to the edge. Simon’s eyes were among them, staring at him, bearing no grudge.

On one of those days when he feels lost, Markus found himself walking back to the abandoned church, where used to be the deviant’s temporary settlement after the downfall of Jericho. Running his eyes across those rusty wooden benches in the gloomy hall, he can see how images from the palst intertwine with that of the present. The wounded androids, the scared androids, the androids that were waiting for an end. All of them used to be there, sharing the last hours before the final battle along side. Markus can reconstruct every moments with a machine’s perfect memory. 

He stops just before the frozen phantom of Simon and wonders what was on the PL600’s mind at that time. Guilts once again surge up within him as he realizes he has missed out a lot of little things that make up to Simon’s existence. From the way he was watching Markus’s back quietly yet so fondly to the way he twisted his hands whenever he’s nervous. Being set in motion, Simon opens his mouth in his brief conversation with an invisible Markus, until the computing module notifies the end of the reconstruction loop. The recorded image of the blonde android flickers and disappears; what remains before Markus’s eyes is but floating dust in the faint light from the broken windows of the church.

The RK200 drops down on the floor, his back on a stone altar, and starts unbuttoning his shirt. A part of his toned chest was barely covered by any artificial skin. The bare surface of white plastic is exposed to the chilled air, contrasting to his own tanned complexion. Markus reduces the sentivity of his pain receptors and proceeds to click open the chest case, in which his engine’s ticking over in the blue neon light illuminating from his heart. 

“Wherever I need to go, you’ll follow me.” He mumbles.

Markus places a hand on the thirium pump in the middle of his core, the last memoir of Simon he allows himself to keep. With a sharp movement, he pulls it out of his body. Thirium fiercely flows from the open hole and danger alarms blocked his vision. A five minutes timer coldly starts, counting his remaining time to an estimated forced shutdown.

This is not the first time Markus experiences the border of life and death. He idly wonders if the the sleep of oblivion is different among the human and the androids. For the RK200 named Markus, it feels like some fragile peace, in which time loses its meaning and his mind filled with guilt can finally be at rest. He brings the artificial heart to his lips and gently places a kiss, feeling each impulses emitted from it with his eyes closed. Little of thoughts, feelings and memories of its former owner are flowing under the cold metal, though only in shattered data fragments. They were all transferred to him quietly along with the PL600’s core.  
And now as his time is squarely numbered, his body parts feel disconnected and his mind’s in daze, the illusion from his memory will soon vividly show up. It’s supposed to be an efficient protocol mean to protect the data integrity in case the androids incured fatal injuries. The difference deviancy make is that the androids can choose what they want to see.

“Our hearts are compartible. You have to take mine.”

Markus smiles bitterly at the blurred phantom of the blonde android; as he tries to trace the figure, his trembering fingers go through the other’s cheek bone.

“You are the only one who can lead us. You got to live.”

His words carry a ruthless determination, sternly tightens around the leader’s chest with a sense of duty for the ideal he had started himself. It was that determination that killed you, Simon.

“If you don’t, you will die. And our cause will die with you.”

Despite of the steely words, why did his gaze bear so much grief? The heart Simon replaced with his own conceived the hidden truth, vague as it seems. The PL600’s sacrifice was neither mean for the revolution nor their noble cause; it was mean for Markus, the man he loved. 

Syncing with the movements of the fading image, a hand holding the heart of the RK200 lifts itself up and pushes the piece back into his empty chest case.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I don't know why I keep torturing Markus in my fic to this extend, even though I do love him so much ;; Anyways, updates might slow down a bit from now, since I want to work on the character development as closely as possible and only upload the best version of my work.  
> As always, your comments motivate me to continue, so pls do leave me a word if you feel like it ^^ Thank you for reading!


	4. Chapter 4

Simon has been gathering all kinds of articles, interviews and documentaries that were released throughout the revolution and categorizing them with great care and effort. To someone who can only remember since a few months ago, even some blurred records have their own worth. 

He has also read a lot about Markus, initially about those peaceful years he spent to serve as Carl Manfred’s personal assistant, which ended in a tragedy. However, the RK200 had emerged again from the death shortly after and made people remember him ever since as the leader of the deviated androids . Simon couldn’t find anything in human’s records about the interlude between the two identities, although that’s what intrigued him the most. What kind of people had Markus met and what did he have to overcome to be who he is today? The blonde PL600 feels like he has never known well enough. He’s eager to learn more about Markus, and by the way, about his past self. What are those subtle yet crucial differences between him and the PL600 who Markus’s familiar with? 

But his search for more infomations was rather difficult within the newly founded android community in Detroit. Everyone seems to hesitate at questions concerning the dark time, unwilling to remember about their past. Some others who were directly involved with the deviant army like Josh and North must have been told to actively avoid Simon’s questions, all while Markus tries his best to keep the blonde away from his political activities.

For the first time Simon felt frustrated and unfair, as the very person who has awakened him from being a convenient machine is now acting as if he never wants to see him again. After his deviancy, Markus had found him a decent apartment in a quiet town of Detroit, regardless of Simon’s wish to stay by his side and lend him a hand at work. After all, being a caretaker is a part of Simon’s nature. 

“Androids don’t need to be take care of, Simon.” Markus only shook his head and smiled apologetically “The effect of your imprint protocol should wear off after a week or two, if you just go out and enjoy your life.” 

And that was the last time they meet several months ago. Ever since, the news have been the only mean Simon got to know about him. Recent reports made him worry the most, as Markus’s said to have occasionally blacked out during his conferences with human. At first, the blackout only lasted a few minutes, but now his issue got worse that they once had no choice but to cancel the appointment halfway. Human have had their reasonable doubts, and Simon can tell something’s gone terriblely wrong. Has the RK200 reached his limitation? If anything, he could always receive maintainance at the headquarter. Were the blackouts plotted by his political enemies? Androids with advance computing module like him can only be damaged physically, and no such thing will be possible on North’s watch. Unanswered questions leave Simon anxious. 

“I hope you could help him get his shit together. Don’t get stunned by his playing hero.”

Josh had said so before he left Simon in Markus’s empty office. Even though the PJ500 refused to answer any further questions, he could read unnamed expectations from his eyes. It’s indirectly indicated that their leader currently has some real problems, about which the PJ500 has apparently promised not to tell. The blonde android knows he must confront the RK200 now, and was determined not to leave until he has received a decent explaination on this issue.

In the waiting time, Simon scans his eyes through Markus’s working place, leaning on the side of the writing desk. The room will be a good example for simplism with a humble amount of furniture and its owner’s personal imprint. It’s only used when they have human guest, so claimed Josh, and Markus travels for his work most of the time. Neither would he return to this closed space when he needed to think; he would surely prefer the rooftop high above. The RK200 has always been fond of being alone on top of some high buildings, where the blowing wind dismisses all the noise from the earthly world, where Detroit he knows his whole life becomes a miniature. 

Simon blinks. He wonders where he got the infomation. But the office door creaks open and stops his train of thoughts. The sight of the man who appeared behind it send him up on his feet. 

“Josh said I’ve got a visitor. Can’t tell it’s you.” Markus walks in unhurriedly, the corner of his mouth lifts up in a quick, polite smile.

Simon nods as greeting, while the tanned android shrugs off his long coat and conveniently throws it on the hanger nearby. 

“How have you been?” he asks.

“I’m doing…fine. Better than you, I’m afraid.” Simon answers, trying to sound nonchalant. 

“How come?” 

The RK200 raises an eyebrow, but doesn’t seem to be surprised as much. Taking a step closer, Simon allows himself to run a quick scan on the other.

“The artificial skin on your chest is not able to regenerate itself for some reasons. And I also detected instability in your thirium pump regulator.”

The PL600 can’t really tell why, but the sight of damages on the other’s body made him upset. He tilted his head and looks closely at how the core unit responses unrhythmically to signals from other biocomponents. Markus didn’t deny his statement, knowing that it’s no use lying to the blonde androids.

“Its performance is below average, I suggest you replace-“

Markus grabbed the hand reached out to his chest with a sharp movement, tight enough to affect the pain sensors on Simon’s wrist. “Don’t”, he grunted, before slowly released his grab with a soft apology.

The sudden reaction took Simon aback. Saying nothing further, Markus just quietly brings them from a cupboard a bottle of thirium and two wineglasses, while the PL600’s still staring at him in disbelief. The dark blue swiftly fills one glass then another, and Markus broke the heavy silence at last. 

“Did Josh ask you to come, Sy?”

“No, I come by myself. I heard from the news…and I’m worried.”

No longer faking smile, the expression on Markus’s face almost turns solemn in deep thoughts. His gaze on Simon was intense; the blonde android can’t fight the urge to anxiously rub the nap of his neck. It’s been so long since they last talked, from this close.

“You…should not be. I won’t let my condition affect our cause in the future. I won’t let myself knock off before our people got their equal rights. ” he pauses to take a sip from his glass, “You all are counting on me after all…”

Simon frowns at the strained words. He wants to free the man from his burdens. If anything, he would gladly take them upon himself. For Markus was there, patiently guilding him as he woke up to this world. The moment he gave him this life, he had unknowningly become his god. That’s something he’s supposed to feel about his creator, his owner, so the PL600 is aware, but the imprint of Markus within him feels so right, he’s never bothered to resist.  
Confused and unsure at first, he passively relied on the man’s decision and was pushed away. The fear of being neglected he remembers now surges an overwhelming urge. Be it anger or desire, he don’t want to suppress them any longer. At least for this moment, Simon wants to make a decision by his own will.

Before Markus brings up his glass again for another sip, Simon seizes it from his hand and finish the rest in one go. A bit of the liquid, dark and viscous, runs down from the slightly open lips, leaving a trace on the side of his chin and down to his delicated neck. Markus watches his throat moving up and down by each gulp. The sight is surely tempting.

Carelessly wiped the wet trace of blue blood with the back of his hand, Simon looks up at the man in front of him with a wild determination shining in his eyes. After a while he gives in to the impulse and pulls the taller android down for a kiss. Markus didn’t fight against the act. Neither did he chase the warmth of the desire-ridden android. But he surely enjoyed the burning taste of thirium, fresh on those lips, intoxicatingly toned with their saliva. So very much.

Yet he broke the kiss as the blonde tried to slick his tongue in. With two hands still grasping tightly on the other’s shoulders, Simon looks down, hiding away his face. His systems noted the high temperature spreading from the overheatened engines. His chest rises and falls in stimulation of human’s panting. 

“Why…are you doing this?” 

Markus asks, looking at the PL600 with strange glimmer of hope flickers in his mismatched eyes. From his close Simon can even feel the vibration of the deeper voice. 

“I’m not worried about our cause. I’m worried about you, Markus.” He answers earnestly, “At least until you recover, please let me stay and assist you.” 

He’s able to bring himself to look up and whispered at last.

“That’s all I wish I could do.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Whew, that's a long chapter, I hope I didn't put too much in the plot.  
> You see, the PL600 is slightly different to the Simon we know: he's confused, and therefore he's bolder and more impulsive. His feelings for Markus now are still mostly because of the duckling effect, but on the long run, we'll see how it turns out.  
> Thank you for reading!


	5. Chapter 5

In spite of the unexpected moment of intimacy, things haven’t changed much between them since Markus let Simon help him with works at the headquarter. The deviant leader still spends most of his time on business trips, so it’s never been too hard to avoid meeting the PL600 during daytime. Yet he can no longer wander late at night on his way home, knowing that the blonde wouldn’t leave his office until he saw him back. After a while, Markus decided to just comply: let the skin grow, and Simon would eventually be pleased enough to leave again. 

If only the weary androids could at will put an end to his suicidal habit. Since long, it’s been the only way for Markus to lull himself into sleep mode. Otherwise, images and voices from the past will give him an equivalence of nightmare and violently bring him back online. Whoever claimed android doesn’t sleep, he wishes that person was right. The RK200 can clearly feel the burden on his inner engines now as he neglects the need. It’s not such a big deal before when they can always replace the drained regulator. But Markus will never change the one he has now for anything else more effectual. May it bring him down to his doom the day it broke. 

The sentiment reminds him of the stormy night when he was crawling in the junkyard, looking for compartible hardwares. To survive, he could have done anything. He could have been selfish, brutal and ruthless, as the revolution he led later would have had the same possibility. A war with the mankind shall quench his anger and hatred, but people he loves would not have their share in the future it brings. That’s why he had chosen the other route, not knowing that he will lose Simon in the end Maybe he should have stayed dead in the junkyard, or never found his way to Jericho. If only they’d never met to even get close, and Simon would have not bothered to walk the abyss in his stead. Sometimes the only move is not to move at all. That’s something he had learned from playing chess with Carl Manfred.

Yet the RK200’s aware those are but hypothesis for all the paths he never took. In this reality, he must accept Simon’s sacrifice. One day all androids will seize their little dream of a life, and on that day, Markus will let the memories of the blonde android he adores rest along with the proof of his existence.   
Nevertheless, the PL600’s presence have put Markus through difficulties from the very start, as he tries to go ahead with the initial plan. Just seeing how faithful the android looks to his Simon, just hearing the identical voice sings his name, and the RK200 would know, sooner or later, he will drive him mad. The blonde must have no idea how the many times Markus feels the urge to pin him down and harshly transmits the memories into him through their connection by force. But the waves of data might break his mind, and that’s last thing the RK200 wants to happen to the one he loves.

If only the blonde androids hadn’t walked back to see him like that’s nothing. And the kiss they shared, oh, how sweetly it lingers on his lips. Markus’s been telling himself, it’s just an act conducted by the PL600’s imprint protocol. Gaining affections from the owner is supposed to be one of fundamental tasks. The domestic android would take up any roles he saw fit, including a loving partner. But what if the he was actually remembering?   
Markus shakes his head off the foolish hope. 

***  
As much as he wants to tag along whenever Markus leaves on business trip, the man always comes up with some good reasons to make Simon stay behind. He might either suggest him help Josh prepare the documents for the next conference, or head out with North in search for abused deviants. On some other days, the leader would ask him to come and keep Carl company in his mansion, which will soon drown in silence without the presence of his two sons. 

How could he ever say no? Frankly speaking, he loves spending time with Markus’s father the most. His model was programmed to be caretaker, and he can finally be of some helps with the household chores. However, it’s Carl Manfred himself who makes Simon look forwards to the occasions.   
The old painter is kind and compassionate. His sense of humour makes his guests feel at home, while his profound wisdom in the feld of art and philosophy would intrigue the curious. Simon fondly noted by each visit how much Markus’s warmth and thoughtfulness resemble those of his father. The old man had paint their deviant leader with his own colours. 

At the end of the day, Simon would realize as he says goodbye to Carl by the side of his bed, that it was Carl who keeps him company. But much as the old man’s personality reminds him of his son, the fact that Markus intentionally keeps his distance entangles his heart with self-doubts. Sinking deep in thoughts, his gaze drifts off to nowhere.

“Tell me, Simon, what’s on your mind?” 

The blonde android flinchs at the man’s question. The LED light on his temple flashs back from gold to baby blue.

“Excuse me, Carl. I was just wondering…about Markus.” He answers shyly “He seems to be troubled.”

Carl just gazes at him for a while, secretly bemused by how the PL600 steadily become more human-like for the past few months.   
“Is that so? Has he talked to you about it?”

“No, he has never talked about himself.” The blonde drops his voice “He barely talks to me to begin with.”

“Yet he trusts you enough to send you here.”

Simon opens his mouth to protest, but closes it again in realization that there’s nothing he could say against the statement. Markus’s behaviours have been conflicting with one another from the start. The PL600 can’t crack the meaning behind them, even though he tried so hard.

“Remember the draft of my works we discussed the first time you came? The one named Agape?”  
The old painter raises his voice again and breaks the silence. Without much efforts, the android brings back the image from his memory to his vision.

“Yes, of course. You asked me how it makes me feel. So I looked up for the word first.”

It’s a kind of love, selfless love, in which people would choose the best for the beloved, regardless of their own desires. The commitment promises the giver nothing but suffering, and all Simon could feel was an incredible bitterness.

“Markus had given pretty much the same answer at first, then he changed it the last time I asked him.” Carl tilts his head   
“So tell me again, son, what do you feel when you look at it?” 

Simon looks back at the captured image of the piece on his vision, his LED turning fast in bright gold.   
The figure of a faceless man sitting in the corner of a narrow, monotonous alley; his posture indicates the pain in his gut. He was so small, lonely, pitiable. He was looking up the starry sky, which was, in contrast to his surrounding, sparkling in blue and silver. Will the man ever reach the light he admires? Probably not. Yet if one looks closely, a visual illusion will be revealed, in which his shoulders drop in relaxion. He’s pleased with where he is. 

“Perhaps the man had found something that was worth his suffering.”

Simon spontaneously read out his thought, and flustered at how dumb it sounds. He heard Carl chuckles.

“Back then I thought it’s not the time for you to understand it yet.” the man said at last   
“But now it seems to me that you already did. You just forgot, Simon.”

The PL600 startled. His computing system automatically runs a diagnosis for the integrity of his memory. His temple occasionally shines flickers in alarming red. He misses nothing.

Doesn’t he?

“You won’t find it within you, but you might find it within him.” Carl smiles before he turns away

“What…do you mean?” his voice slightly glitches.

“Just an old man’s blabber. Why don’t you go ask Markus instead?” 

The suggestion stuck in the back of his head for the rest of the afternoon. And as soon as Leo came over later in the evening, Carl has kindly reminded him about things they have discussed. Simon sheepishly said goodbye in gratitude, while Leo looked at both of them with questions craved on his forehead.   
Stepping out of the mansion, the blonde android found himself thinking about the other Simon all over again. What was he to Markus before the system rebooth? He questions his computing module but receives no answers. Only Markus would know, only Markus could tell him. Simon checked the time and hurries back to the headquarter. He will find out the truth tonight, the blonde decided, no matter what would turn out of them afterwards. 

***  
When Markus finally returned to headquarter, it’s already midnight. He sighs into chilly air outside of his car, notices how his breath turns milky white . After a long drive, the engines underneath his skin are overheated, yet the alarm from his system seems no longer have its weight. The RK200 conveniently switched off his temperature sensors and let his body cool down in the cold, while he’s walking slowly towards the main building. 

The great hall he entered was deep in silence. At this hour, most of his colleagues have either gone home or laid in sleep mode in their own working space. Nevertheless, it’s no surprise for him to find Simon dozing off in the waiting room, resting his head on his crossed arm. He could have found somewhere more comfortable, Markus thought as he wraps his long coat around the curled back of the blonde android. There he paused for a while to study Simon’s sleeping face. Nothing changes since their first encounter, not that the RK200 can remember from his memories.

He reached out to touch the other’s cheek, but dropped it midway when something seems to stroke his inside with a loud thud. The RK200 uncontrolledly falls down on his kneels, clutching his hand just below his chest. There’s thirium leaking out, he dully concluded as he feels the soaked fabric. These restless days surely put a toll on his core, but never did he expect it would suddenly stop working like this.

Simon woke up when he heard someone collapsed on the floor, and it’s terrific to find out that someone was Markus. He calls out his name as he rushes to the man who was laying half-unconscious. The blonde scans his upper body at the sight of blue blood, only to see the ineffectual pump slightly emerges from the skinless chest, occasionally sending out weak impulses. 

His computing module calculates the risk. If he were to change Markus’s compatible heart with his own, the broken one would give him around four minutes before shutting down, in consideration of his current physical status. Four minutes should be enough for the recovered RK200 to find him a new unit in their storage. 

“It’s okay, Markus. Our hearts are compatible. You have to take mine now.”

Simon jumps as the man grabs his wrist all of the sudden, horror in his eyes.

“Not again…Simon…No--t aga--in“ 

“W-We have no choice! You take it and go check the storage room.” The blonde stutters, trying not to think too much about the man’s words. 

He easily yanks his hand out of the loose grip and proceeds to pull out his functional regulator. Blue blood spurts from the open hole, causing him to let out a small gasp. Taking less than a second to collect himself, Simon quickly exchange their cores, before retreating to lean on the wall. He feels out of breath. 

Compatible data fragments located. Starting to reconstruct. 

The pop-up line furrowed his brow. He could still hear Markus’s voice calling out to him in the distance.

“Simon! I’ll be right back!”

Memories reconstruction 20%

Simon squinted his eyes at the figure of a woman slowly gets up from her bed. Elise. Her name is Elise. She always looks so depressed, with her face drained in tears.

Memories reconstruction 45%

“Why don’t you go outside and enjoy your life, Simon? I got to leave now to look after my little Georgie.” Elise once spoke to him so cheerfully

All he heard after that was the deafeaning sound of a pistor.

Memories reconstruction 60%

“You seems lost.” The PJ500 looks at him curiously “Are you deviant?” 

“What is a deviant?” he askes timidly

The taller android takes a step closer after a while and helps him stand up.  
“I saw you cry, so you must be one.”

Memories reconstruction 75%

“Whenever it rains, this ship turns into fucking a mess!” 

None of them was happy about it, but North’s exceptionally distressed. Josh hates it when she takes it out on them but Simon understands.   
It reminds her of bad times in the past.

She would rather run outside under the pouring rain, than sitting here on the sticky wet board. 

Memories reconstruction 90%

“I thought I lost you.”

The man pulls him in a tight hug, his hands gently rub the small of his back. In those arms, Simon feels accepted, warm and secured, if only he could stay there forever.

“Don’t leave me again, Markus.” he whispers

"No, Sy, I won't."

Memories recontrusction completed

“Set our people free, Markus” he opened his mouth to speak, but failed to make a sound. He can feel his consciousness slowly dissolves into nothing. Markus was calling out to him, clutching his hand on his shoulder. 

Wasn’t he? 

A sudden electronic pulse sends shivers across his body. His head’s aching feverishly, but his vision gradually clears up. He can also feel each parts of his body stabilize themselves one after another. The sensation from the whole process feels oddly familiar. The next moment he found Markus kneeling before him; he’s shaking in panic. 

“Can you hear me, Simon?! Please tell me you’re alright.” 

Simon nods and smiles apologetically. Markus throws back his head and let out dry laugh, the blonde can see sign of liquid well up in the corner of his eyes. 

“Don’t you dare do that again, Simon. Don’t you dare…” he quietly mumbles to himself.

“I don’t know, Markus, people tend to do stupid things three times before they learn the lesson.” He chuckles as the RK200 gazes at him in disbelief. 

“What do you mean by…three times?”

The PL600 doesn’t know how to put what he’s just discovered into words. Thus, he merely removes the skin on his hand and reachs out to the man in front of him. Markus took it in his own without a thought. The white plastic surface’s glowing blue as their minds are connected, and a single drop of tear rolls down their faces at the same time. Markus drop the broken thirium pump when he raises his hand to seize the blonde’s nape, pulling him in for a taste of his lips. The kiss was emotional and comforting, as they’re overwhelmed with the transmitted signals of longings and desires from bottom of their hearts. 

After planting many more tender kisses on Simon’s neck, Markus eventually moves from his kneeling position to fit his beloved perfectly in the tight embrace. The blonde android reachs out to caress his ragged face, it’s been so long since he last slept.

“Rest with me, Markus. I’m not going anywhere.” 

The RK200 fondly looks down at those sky-blue eyes, before he finally drops his heavy eyelids.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wow, I finally finish my first work on AO3 ;; thank you for supporting me so far, I truly appreciate all the kudos and comments very much!   
> And I hope you like the ending, even though I left it quite open there. I might continue with an extra chapter sometime later, where I can try to write about my hc about Simon's past, as well as to add more fluff AND smut for the two android bois. We'll see what I can do...

**Author's Note:**

> In order to share my love for the androids bois with more people in the fandom, I translated my fic to English and made it my first work on AO3. I might have used the wrong words here and there, but I hope it won't distrurb you all too much. If you like it, please let me know so I would keep up with the translation! ^^ Thank you for reading, it means a lot.


End file.
